


The Shoe box

by Tigerlily26



Series: ReddieWeek2020 [6]
Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Pennywise (IT), Eddie Kaspbrak Loves Richie Tozier, Established Relationship, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Homophobia, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Angst, ReddieWeek2020, Richie Tozier Loves Eddie Kaspbrak, Sonia Kaspbrak's A+ Parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:34:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26369584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tigerlily26/pseuds/Tigerlily26
Summary: Prompt for ReddieWeek2020 Day 6- FamilyIn all honesty she was never meant to find it. She was never meant to find the little shoe box that Eddie had tucked away in his closet under a pile of books. He never thought she would find it when she went in to clean his room, she usually left the closet alone when she went in there, it was too hard for her to clean all the shelves in it so she usually left it to Eddie. So the fact that she found it meant that she was looking for it, or for something she could use to keep him with her.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Series: ReddieWeek2020 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904485
Kudos: 64
Collections: Reddie Week 2020





	The Shoe box

In all honesty she was never meant to find it. She was never meant to find the little shoe box that Eddie had tucked away in his closet under a pile of books. He never thought she would find it when she went in to clean his room, she usually left the closet alone when she went in there, it was too hard for her to clean all the shelves in it so she usually left it to Eddie. So the fact that she found it meant that she was looking for it, or for something she could use to keep him with her.

The day Sonia found the box was a week after graduation, Eddie had spent the morning finishing up his last shift cleaning up at Mr. Keene's drug store. When his shift was over he had said a quick goodbye to Mr. Keene himself, thankful that was probably the last time they would ever see each other as in a few days he was going with Richie, his boyfriend, to get ready for school in California. He never told his mom about Richie and him, there was no way in hell she would take it well, he did however tell her about California because he didn’t want to just be gone one day without telling her, and she took it surprisingly well, almost shockingly well, and now he knew why.

Eddie hadn’t planned on stopping by his house for more than a few minutes to change, before heading off to clubhouse for the last meeting before Ben and Bev left for school. So when his mom stopped him on his way out of the house he was a little confused.

“Eddie bear, could you come here and talk to me for a moment?” her eerily calm voice called from the living room.

“...Sure mommy,” he responded, heading to meet her.

“Where are you off to?” Her question held almost no emotion, sending a chill down Eddie’s spine.

“I’m off to go meet with my friends. Beverly and Ben are leaving tomorrow so we all wanted to be there to say goodbye,” he answered.

She nodded and pursed her lips. “That Tozier boy isn’t going to be there is he?”

Another chill made its way down his spine. “Richie is going to be there ma, he’s one of our friends.”

“If he’s going to be there then you’re not going!” Anger began to fill her voice.

“And why is that? I’m 18 and you can’t control what I do!” Eddie found himself rising his voice to match her level.

“Eddie! I know what that dirty boy does to you!” She reached for the end table hidden behind her mass and quickly pulled the shoe box into her arms, the show box that held all the pictures he had taken with the losers and Richie over the years. She reached in and pulled out one from right before they had started dating about two years ago. They had been at Stan’s house watching a movie and Eddie was practically in Richie's lap, and Richie had his arm tossed lazily over his shoulder, both of them wore large smiles. “He’s been doing things to you hasn’t he Eddie? He’s been forcing you to do things you shouldn’t!” 

“Mommy where did you get that?” he asked even though he knew the answer.

“Oh my poor baby I was looking through your room for dirty things like this. It’s the only thing that makes sense as to why you would want to leave me behind Eddie,” she sobbed. Before Eddie could get in another response she pulled out another picture and all but pushed it in his face. It was of him and Richie kissing at the quarry, he knew it was dangerous for him to keep at his house, but he had just liked it so much. “They’re all tricking you into leaving, they’re making you sick, but it’s okay cause mommy will help you now. You don’t have to go to California anymore, we can go live with your aunt and you can go to school nearby where you’ll be safe. We can even take you to a new doctor and he’ll help you get better,” at this point she was ranting and reaching for him, he backed away.

“I’m not sick…”his voice was barely above a whisper.

She paused for a moment before opening the floodgates. “What are you talking about Eddie bear? Of course you're sick, that Tozier boy made you sick. Just pack your things and we can go to your aunts, we can be a good family again. We can get you help,” she insisted.

Eddie just shook his head and clenched his fists, trying to even out his breathing. “No mommy, I’m not sick. I’m… I’m gay, and I’m going to go to California whether you want me to or not.” Sonia had practically scoffed in response, setting down the box and the picture to grab for him, but he was too fast. Eddie grabbed the stray pictures and crammed them into the box, making a run for the door in the process. 

His mother shrieked after him as he all but flew down the steps. “EDDIE GET BACK HERE, I CAN HELP YOU!” He didn’t look back, he couldn’t. He ran down to the barrens as fast as his legs could carry him, almost tripping a few times as tears clouded his vision. After a minute he burst into the clubhouse causing his waiting friends to jolt. The box was still clasped tightly in his grasp.

Richie started looking up. “Well well well it’s about time our Eddie spaghetti showe- Eds, what's wrong? In a moment Richie was out of the hammock and by his side. One hand on his shoulder, the other on his cheek tilting his head up to meet his eyes. “What's wrong?” he asked again.

“It’s Sonia… she found the box.” All Eddie could do was gesture to the show box and melt into the hug Richie gave him when he realized what he was talking about. “She started saying how you were dirty and doing things to me, and how I was sick…” He lost his train of thought as another train of sobs hit him.

Richie rubbed his hand reassuringly down his back. “It’s okay Eds, you’re here now.” By now the other losers were on their feet joining in on the hug.

“She said that she wouldn’t let me go to California. That she would take me to live with my aunt to be a family, but I didn’t want that. I just wanted to come here and be with you guys, and I want to go to California,” Eddie sobbed out.

“I hate her,” Beverly mumbled into the group hug.

“M-me to,” Bill agreed.

“I won’t let her take you anywhere, and we are going to California,” Richie said, speaking into his hair.

Eddie couldn’t find it in himself to respond, all he could do was nod and relax into the hold of his friends, the hold of his family. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please enjoy
> 
> Come say hi to me on tumblr [Derpyanimatesstuff](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/derpyanimatesstuff)
> 
> And a extra big thanks for my beta reader [CactiQueen16](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CactiQueen16/pseuds/CactiQueen16)


End file.
